Liberal Women’s Council to put motion for changes to dangerous sex offender laws to party’s state conference

WA’S dangerous sex offenders could have their continuing detention orders reviewed once every five years, instead of annually.

AAP

AAPJuly 17, 20149:32pm

IN a tough proposed measure, WA’s dangerous sex offenders could have their continuing detention orders reviewed once every five years, instead of annually.

The Liberal Women’s Council wants to see the changes which would lower the frequency of sex offenders reviews. It is putting the motion to the Liberal Party’s WA branch state conference on August 9.

Western Australia’s 2006 Dangerous Sexual Offenders Act is currently being reviewed. This follows the release of a notorious rapist from prison in March under a 10-year supervision order. Other policy motions the Council will put to the conference for amendment include immediately placing any dangerous sex offender accused of breaching a supervision order in custody until they are tried and sentenced for that breach.

The Council also wants to establish “a presumption against release” in periodic detention reviews when a dangerous sexual offender has previously breached a supervision order.

These are just some of the law and order policy motions they plan to put to the conference.

Motions to be put by other Liberals include introducing new laws that give WA Police additional powers to disperse pickets or protests, privatising sections of public housing in Fremantle where there has been substantial anti-social behaviour and repealing the Genetically Modified Crops Free Areas Act.

The WA government recently made a submission to the Organic Industry Standards and Certification Council, to lift the tolerance level for GM material in certified organic foods from zero to 0.9 per cent.

This followed a landmark GM contamination test case in WA’s Supreme Court, when a ruling was made against Kojonup organic famer Steve Marsh who sought damages after his organic farm was affected by GM canola drifting on to his farm.

He is appealing.

OTHER POLICY MOTIONS TO BE PUT FORWARD AT THE CONFERENCE:

Federal:

Requiring any candidate for future federal elections to be enrolled to vote in the same state or territory in which they nominate to stand

Requiring voters at state, territory and federal elections to present some form of photo identification at polling booths

Returning to full voluntary student unionism at Australian universities

Ensuring that all citizenship applicants who fail the citizenship test more than once be made to pay for any further re-sitting

Eliminating any reference to race in the Australian Constitution

State

Calling on the WA government to put forward a realistic plan in the next state budget to sell assets to reduce debt

Removing the requirement for specially registered tradespeople to work on heritage-listed buildings

Opposing the introduction of tolls in any form and on any vehicle type on WA roads

Making it compulsory for prisoners to take literacy and numeracy classes